Sea of Tears
by TheQuackenbush
Summary: When Finnick Odair is chosen for the 65th Annual Hunger Games, he has to face leaving his best friend, watching an ally die, and fighting off brutal challenges. Will he prevail? Or will he face the fate of many others that have walked his path? Find out! Rated T for violence and somewhat coarse language
1. Prologue

I stirred in my sleep. I couldn't think clearly. My thoughts haunted me and it was all _their_ fault.

My name is Finnick Odair. I am fourteen years old. My home is District 4. I am a victor of the 65th Annual Hunger Games. I barely got out with my life. Is this believable? Can this be real? Did I really win? My question is answered when the lights at the Capitol Studio flare on. I am in a completely white room, sitting in a pitch black chair next to Ceasar Flickerman. The cameras are carefully aimed at him, as he talks like what I just went through was not a big deal. I hate this place. I hate the people, I hate the city, I hate myself. I want to be back at my little house next to the beach, swimming and diving in the endless expanse of sea water. The next thing I know, Caesar is looking straight at me and I snap back into reality. Did he say something to me? Apparently so, because he gives a little laugh after noticing my surprised look and then speaks again.

"Tell me exactly what it feels like, Finnick. I wan- scratch that, we all want to know how you feel."

I sit in shock, hesitating. Ever since I was whisked out of the arena by the hovercraft, I have been out of it. I manage to choke out a few words, "Surreal. I can't believe it."

"I can. I'm sure we all expected this to happen," Caesar says. He always is there to save you when you fail to speak.

After a few more questions, the interview wraps up. I am lead to a train in the back of the building and I am soon on my way back to my true home. I collapse on the bed in my room and think about what just happened. Did I really just kill other people just so I could live? What have I become? I am a monster. No. I am worse than a monster, but everyone else thinks I'm a hero. Do you want to know what I should have said to Caesar? I should have told him that I felt like dying. Curling up and dying for what I had done. But nothing can be done now, as the rest of my life is pretty much planned out for me. Interviews, tours, parties. I won't have any freedom. I was brought into this. And now, I want out.


	2. Chapter 1

The sea. My home. Swimming and splashing through the water seems to calm me. The Reaping is very soon, but this really takes all of the stress off of my mind. My father beckons to me from the shore, and I swim in. It's time for today's session of my father's protection program, which prepares me for the Game if I get chosen as tribute.

"Finnick, it's time to begin trident training for today," he says. "See if you can spear that tree from here." He points to a tall, but thin palm tree about twenty yards away.

The truth is that I hate using a trident, but I'm excellent at it, so my father makes me. I close my eyes, focusing, like I always do before throwing. I suddenly open my eyes and I jerk into the throwing stance abruptly. I pull back, ready to launch and throw the trident with ease, watching it glides through the air. It hits its mark straight in the middle of the tree and the tree cracks a bit. My father walks up to the tree and starts to work the trident out.

Just then, a Peacekeeper, a security guard of sorts from the Capitol, approaches my father and begins to ask him something, whispering, but I can still hear him from where I stand. Living near the ocean helps to ease my nerves which helps to hone my senses.

"What are you doing?" the Peacekeeper demands. I recognize him as the Head Peacekeeper, Cod. Cod can be brutal with lawbreakers, but with our family, he's a very easy-going guy. This worries me, as he seems mad with my father.

My father hesitates, but he has his way with people. "Well, my son and I were fishing with this tool, but he wouldn't cooperate, so I was angered. I turned around and speared the tree." I exhale, relieved. I knew he would come up with something.

"Hm. Okay," Cod mutters. He turns to me. "Stay in line, son, or I'll get you." He gives me a pat on the back and walks away. Cod is fond of me, as I sell him fish for a bargain.

Technically, the training that my father has me do is illegal, but it's for my protection. Every year, an event called the Hunger Games takes place. As punishment for the Dark Days, the period of time in which the thirteen districts of Panem rose up against the Capitol in protest, each year, one boy and girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen from each district are selected to be shipped into an arena where they fight to the death. There are twelve districts and twenty-four tributes, as District 13 was destroyed during the uprising. I live in District 4, the fishing district, and the reaping for the two tributes is in two days.

My father approaches me and says "Well, that was close, huh?" I nod, even though it isn't true. Training for the Games is extremely easy to get away with in District 4, as you can usually pass it off as fishing. "Anyways, Fin, I want you to catch at least ten fish by the end of the day, and then sell them at the market. Bring the money to me afterwards, okay?"

I nod in agreement. He walks away and as soon as he is out of sight, I jump in the water. Whenever my dad watches me fish, I pretend to be slow and clumsy with it, so now he gives me much more time than I need. If I was trying, I could catch ten fish in fifteen minutes, but I now have about three hours.

I swim until I see a familiar boat on the water, propelled by a small engine shipped directly from District 6, the transportation district. I wave and after a few moments, a hand waves back at me. I smile and swim up to the boat. I hoist myself onto it and sit in one of the seats. " Why, hello there, Captain," I say.

My good friend Annie walks out of the helm area and smiles at me. "Hello, Admiral Odair," she says as we drop the anchor off of the side of the boat. We do this all the time, whenever I meet her on the water.

"What do you have planned for today, Annie?" I ask curiously.

"Well, we can either fish or swim," she says. These are usually the only two options for recreation in District 4, but I have another idea. Annie isn't very good at swimming and fishing, so I want to do something that we both enjoy.

"Can we weave nets?" I ask. "I brought some rope." I pull off a measly piece of loose thread from my shorts and hold it out, jokingly.

Annie laughs, and soon I join in. She walks to the storage area of the boat and grabs a length of real rope and two small knives. "Sure," she says, handing me one of the knives we use for trimming the nets.

As we begin the net, I stare at Annie and she looks up. I quickly direct my attention towards the water surrounding us and think, Life is good. Sitting hear out on the water, it just feels natural.

We continue weaving the simple net out of the rope as we chat about the upcoming events. We're both very worried about who will be chosen this year, as we are every year.

"Fin, what if either of us is chosen as tribute? It'll be your third year and my second, and our odds keep getting worse. I don't want to be without you," she says, and I can honestly hear sorrow in her voice.

"Neither of us will be reaped, and if I am, I'll win it for you, I promise," I assure. "Finnick Odair doesn't break his promises."

She smiles and I look at her again. Annie Cresta. She truly is beautiful, and it's natural, too. No make-up like the glamour girls of the Capitol and District 1. Her dark cherry red hair is tied into a braid and her bright green eyes match the sea around her. And her smile. It's as bright as the stars. Whenever I see it, I can't help but smile myself.

We met when I was seven, and she was six. Earlier that day, my father was trying to teach me patience while fishing, and when he left, I tried it myself. I stood in the shallow water, eyes closed and body relaxed. I was like this for a few moments, until I heard a scream and a plea for help.

"Help her!" yelled a woman's voice, frantic. "Somebody help! She can't swim!"

I turned swiftly and saw a little girl flailing in the water. My instincts took over and I swam out to her as fast as I could, got behind her, and grabbed her. I paddled to shore as fast as my legs could take me and dragged her onto the beach. She coughed for a while before speaking.

"You saved me!" she exclaimed. "Thank you." She turned around and hugged me tightly. I groaned, but not loudly enough to be heard. "What's your name?"

"Finnick Odair. What's yours?"

"Annie Cresta. Nice to meet you," she said.

"You, too," I replied.

Not long after, her mother propelled the boat to the dock and thanked me. After they left, I ran back to my house and wrote down her name on a small scrap of paper. "Annie Cresta," I whispered.

I snap back into reality as Annie motions at me and shows me the finished net. She holds it up for me to see, smiling with her teeth hidden behind her lips.

"Good job, Fin," she says. "You're getting good at making these nets."

"Thank you, Captain Cresta," I say, smiling. She laughs and we talk for a few more minutes until I notice the sun.

"Oh no!" I exclaim, still staring the the sun's position.

"What is it?" she wonders.

"I promised my dad that I would catch some fish and sell them for him. And I have to do it in only thirty minutes!"

"Oh, jeese," she says. "I'll take you to shore, you can fish, and then we'll head to the Market."

"Thank you," I accept.

"No worries."

The boat gets us to shore in two minutes and I begin to spear the fish hurriedly. It's actually a pretty good catch for such procrastination. I rush to the dock again where Annie is waiting for me. She rolls her eyes and I give her a teasing look.

We hop back in the boat and Annie takes me to the Market Dock. We tie off the boat and walk into the hub of District 4. I find my best customer, Sam, and hand him the fish. He hands me a fair sum of money, and Annie and I leave, not feeling rushed anymore. It's a short walk to my house, so I say goodbye to Annie and walk home.

My house is modest and with enough rooms for my parents, my brother, and me, we have never had to worry about our housing. The house is on the part of District 4 that we call the Coast, which is not as wealthy as the Beach, but not as poor as the Marsh. The Beach, where Annie lives, is where tools and materials for fishing are manufactured. Annie's family makes nets of all sizes, some seem impossibly brilliant, others extremely simple. Without the Beach, fishing in District 4 would be much harder. The Coast is where most fishermen live, and, as the name says, it is right on the coast. Both the Beach and the Coast border the sea, but they are divided by the Market and the City Square. The Marsh is north of the other parts of District 4, and their primary jobs are to work the docks and manage boats while owners are away. Usually, the Marsh residents don't make that much money because the Beach and Coast residents take care of the boats themselves. However, the Marshies, as we call them, take the small jobs that no one else has time for, such as canning, so they make a fair share of income, too. It's all set up quite nicely, and most people are content with their lifestyles.

I find my father and hand him the small sum of money. "Good work, Fin," he says. "Dinner is in ten minutes."

"Okay," I say as I run upstairs to my room. Living in a middle class family, my room is decorated very neatly. A small, but comfortable bed lies in the corner of them room, and there are some mounted fish on the walls. I have also tacked up some photos of Annie, my family, and me to cheer myself up when I feel sad. My room all has sort of a Beach feel, which I like very much.

I change into dry clothes and lay down on my bed, exhausted, but content from all of the commotion today. I am called down for dinner and we have a typical meal. Scallops and fish from my father's catch and some seaweed salad courtesy of my mother. My mother works in the Market, so she gets a lot of items for free. I finish my meal and head back upstairs. When I jump into bed, my eyes close and I fall asleep almost immediately.

I dream of Annie and me out on the water, fishing and laughing, having a good time. We joke for a while until dark clouds roll in. Annie tries to get the boat back to shore, but the rudder is jammed, and we're stuck. A huge wave envelopes the boat and we both yell in terror. The dream transforms. It's reaping day. The escort, an eccentric woman named Dakota Mason walks to the girls' ball. After fishing around, she pulls out a slip and opens it.

"Annie Cresta!" she shrieks with glee.

"No!" I yell. "Annie!"

I wake up from the nightmare, breathing heavily and sweating. What would I do if that happened? I couldn't bear to lose her.


	3. Chapter 2

I look out the window and see that the sun is already poking above the horizon. That's a relief, I won't have to wait very long to leave.

I change into a non-sweat soaked shirt and walk down to the kitchen. I see a photo of my father at my age and look into a nearby mirror. The resemblance is shocking. People have told me that I look just like my father, but I never saw how much we did. The bronze hair, sea green eyes, golden skin. It is all the same.

My father has always been a good man and a great dad. He taught me how to swim when I was four, brought me with him to fish almost every day, and has always been there for me. I hope that my personality will match his as much as my looks do.

I grab a chunk of bread from the loaf on the counter and start to nibble on it. It's great bread, tinted green with seaweed and salted, and it represents District 4. Each district has their own special kind of bread, which is just another way of distinguishing them. For example, District 3, which specializes in technology, has little bite-sized squares of bread which I think are meant to resemble computer chips.

Either way, I eat my bread and get out a pencil and paper to write a note.

"Going out to see Annie. Don't worry about me. –Fin," it reads.

I place the note on the table in our dining room, so that my parents can see it, and grab a basket from a closet. Just as I'm about to go through the front door, my eight year old brother, Tanner, comes down the stairs.

"Finnick," he moans. "Where are you going? You told that you were staying home today."

"Don't worry, big guy," I say, smiling. "I'll be back in a few hours. Now go back to bed. Get some more sleep."

"Fine," he agrees grumpily as he begins climbing the stairs.

I walk out the door and smell my favorite scent in the world. Sea breeze. _Today is going to be great. _The sun is shining, and I've planned out the whole day.

I walk down the street to the Market to pick up a few things for the day. First, I stop by my mother's stand to pick up some greens. Obviously, my mother isn't there right now, but the stand is being run by one of her friends.

"Hello, Finnick," she says. "What brings you here so early?"

"Oh, I just wanted to get some ingredients for my mother," I lie. I don't want anyone to know why I'm really out.

"Well, here you go," she says, handing me a small bag of leafy plants. "Tell your mom I said 'Hi!'"

I nod and move onto the next stand. I already grabbed some bread from my house and put it in the basket, so my next stop is Marina's shop.

Marina is a friend of mine that I met in school. We're not as close as Annie and I are, but we've known each other for a couple years. I believe that she's a year older than me, but I haven't talked to her in a while, so I wouldn't know. Marina's parents are Longliners, fishers who sit on the dock and fish, but Marina runs her own stand. She sells fish and fruit, a bizarre combination, perhaps, but useful nonetheless.

I walk up to the stand and pick out what I need. Some oranges, a bunch of grapes, a pineapple, and a coconut. I bring my items up to Marina and ask to check out.

"Hey, Fin," she greets me. "Altogether, this will be fifteen macks."

The "macks" we use aren't real mackerels, of course. They're little blue coins, circles with holes in the middle that we use as currency in District 4. I pull out a handful that I've saved up from extra fishing and give Marina fifteen of them.

"Thank you," she exclaims, beaming.

"You're welcome," I reply. "And thank you for the stuff!"

I shove my arrangement of fruits into the basket and walk towards the Beach. I quickly reach Annie's house, a three story estate that's right on the water. It's a beautiful house, but most in District 4 are. Annie's, however, has something about it that just makes it even better.

I walk up to the door and knock three times. Annie opens the door almost immediately and tackles me with a hug. I'm taken aback. What's with the sudden emotion?

"Happy Birthday, Finnick!" she yells. Oh. That's right, today's my birthday. How did I forget that today is my birthday? Maybe because tomorrow is reaping day. Annie notices my surprise. "Did you forget?"

I nod, blushing and embarrassed. She rolls her eyes and laughs. "Well, come on in, Fin. I want to show you something," she says. She leads me to the living room and grabs a little box. She holds it out to me.

"Here you go," she says. "Happy Birthday!"

I take the box out of her hands and open it. Inside of the box sits a tiny gold trident with a circle around it, connecting the three teeth and the end of the shaft. Although I dislike using them, tridents are a part of my life, a representation of who I am, and I am grateful.

"Thank you," I say. I hug her tightly. "Now it's my turn to show you something. Follow me."

I bring her outside to her backyard, which is all sand, and tell her to sit near the water.

"Keep watching the rolling waves until I tell you to look, okay?" I say.

She nods and I run back to the dry sand. I spread out the blanket that I stuffed into the basket and grab some plates and forks to set on the blanket. After unpacking the food, I walk to Annie and grab her hand.

"Now close your eyes," I say. She closes them and I lead her over to the blanket. "Okay, now open!"

She smiles as soon as she sees the picnic I've constructed. There it is again, that smile. The smile that whenever I see it, I can't help but smile as well. "Fin, this is amazing."

"Why, thank you," I say in a mock Capitol accent. "Now, for your first course, I would recommend the oranges and the pineapple. What are your thoughts on this?"

She laughs and changes her voice as well. "That sounds simply divine."

I laugh and begin to cut up the oranges. I hand her a few of the slices and we eat at the same time.

She lights up. "Finnick, where did you get these from?" she asks. "They're delicious!"

"Just Marina's stand," I say. "Maybe she got a fresh shipment from District 11?"

Annie finishes her orange and I begin to slice up the pineapple. As I chop the flesh into chunks, I look out onto the water. It looks beautiful as always.

"So, does it feel any different?" Annie asks. "Being fourteen?"

"Only that my name is in the bowl three times now," I say. "But other than that, no, not much different."

"Fin, don't talk like that," she begs. "Last night, I dreamt that you were picked and I didn't know what to do. I don't want to think about that." I can feel the hurt in her voice. We really have a very special connection.

I am shocked. "I dreamt about _you_ being chosen. I could never deal with anything if that happened."

Her lips curl downward. I hug her, trying to cheer her up, and she hugs me back. After a few moments, we break apart from each other and smile. We finish our picnic and I tell her that I have to go back and play with my brother. We say our goodbyes and I make my way home.

I walk through my front door and find my little brother in his room, looking at a seashell. The seashell that he is holding is very special to him. When Tanner was just learning how to walk, I took him to the Beach and we just walked around for a while. We walked and walked until he came across something that had just washed up on shore. It shined and sparkled when he turned it and he thought it was the most fascinating thing in the world. He keeps it with him now because it reminds him of me when I'm not there.

I knock on the frame of his door to get his attention. "Hey, Tan. How's it going?"

"Finnick! Finnick!" she shouts. "It's your birfday!" I laugh. He just lost a tooth, so he has a bit of a lisp.

"Yes, it is!" I yell back. "So what do you think you want to do today?"

"Fishing!" he answers. "Can we go fishing? Please, please, please!"

"Of course, big guy," I say. "Let's go!" The excitement on his face makes me feel content, knowing that I can make him so happy.

Tanner gets into his angler gear and I grab our fishing rods. We head out the back door and walk onto the dock behind our house. It's old and creaky, but we use it all the time for diving and fishing.

"Now, remember, Tanner," I say. "Cast, set, wait. And when a fish bites, what do you do?"

"Pull, reel lift," he recites. "And when you pull it out of the water, you unhook it and drop it in the bucket, right?"

"Good job," I say. I've taught him well. We talk and fish for a while, and I realize it's already afternoon. My parents join us in some leisure fishing, as they've both taken the afternoon off.

After Tanner catches a few fish, we decide to head in. My parents make a trip to the Market and they soon return with a bag of supplies. They escape to the kitchen to prepare a special dinner and Tanner and I decide to go back outside to run around on the beach.

About an hour passes by, and our mother calls us in for dinner. We all wash up and take our seats at the tables. After formally wishing me a happy birthday, my parents invite us to dig in. The special meal consists of grilled steak imported from District 10, the livestock district, my favorite bread, and some beans from District 11, the agriculture district. After we all finish, my mother brings out a cake. A cake! Delicacies like this cost a lot at the Market. My dad runs to his room and brings back a wrapped box. I opened the box and found a set of flippers and a swimming mask for snorkeling. My dad had always told me about how amazing snorkeling is, especially around here. I was eager to try it out, but I would have to wait until tomorrow, as it was already dark outside.

I scarf down a piece of cake and tell my parents that I'm turning in for the night. I go upstairs, exhausted from running around all day. I lay in my bed, looking out the window at the now dark waters. I watch the waves roll in for a few minutes and my eyelids get heavy. I slowly drift to sleep and luckily, I don't have bad dreams tonight.


	4. Chapter 3

I wake up the next morning, relieved to not have any more bad dreams. Long beams of sunlight shine through the window, reflecting off of the calm blue water. It's a shame that such a lovely day has to be the setting for such a cruel event. _She will not be chosen, _I insist. _She will not be chosen._

I walk down the stairs, rushing to eat breakfast so I can run outside. I grab a banana and my new present and sprint out of the beaten up screen door that leads to the backyard. I eat my banana rapidly as I look around the yard, trying to get as much swimming time as possible before the Reaping. Our backyard is all sand, with a few plastic toys strewn around for Tanner. He doesn't use them anymore, but they were his favorite things in the world when he was younger. I put on the flippers and the mask, eager to hop in. Once everything is situated, I trudge into the crystalline waters, hoping to see some aquatic life.

When Panem rose from the ashes of what once called North America, and the Districts were established, District 4 passed multiple ordinances that protected the waters surrounding it. District 4 wanted to make sure that it could remain self-sufficient if something were to happen to Panem. We all are pretty self-sufficient; only a fraction of the fish caught in District 4 are transported to the Capitol or other districts. The ordinances prevent anyone from throwing trash into the water or anywhere with fifty feet of it, so that no fish or other animals can harm themselves by accident. It keeps the fish healthy for when we need to catch them.

I look around the clear ocean water and see some odd fish swimming around in a school. I paddle a bit closer to the school and swim down further, but my snorkel fills with water and I choke. I swim back up to the surface and after coughing for a few seconds, I swim back to shore and decide I've had enough. Why am I doing this when I could be walking to Annie's house? I throw the snorkeling stuff on the deck, leaving it for Tanner who will probably find much more interest in it than I did.

I go back inside and grab some decent clothes. I put them on, knowing that I will return later to get cleaned up. As I start to walk down the street, I run my hands through my hair, feeling the stickiness of salt water from swimming. I smile. District 4 really is my home, nothing will ever change that.

I continue walking and run into a few people along the way. We exchange greetings and they express their hopes that I'm not chosen. After walking for a little while, I encounter my two _favorite_ people in the world. Brittany and Shelly. _Great._ These two are considered the "popular" girls at school, representing the snobby, arrogant part of the Beach. They constantly fawn over me, and I absolutely dread talking to them.

"Hey, Finnick," says Brittany, drawing out both words flirtatiously. "What are you up to?"

"Oh. Hey," I respond, rolling my eyes and using a tone that points out the fact that I'm not happy to see them. "Nothing, just walking around."

"The Beach?" Shelly questions in her shrill, squeaky voice. "You're not going to see that freak girl, are you? What was her name again? Anna?"

This is why I hate them. They think that Annie walks around like she owns all of District 4, when, really, _they're _the ones that do. On top of that, they don't actually care about me or almost anyone but themselves.

You see, Brittany and Shelly are the kind of girls who prance around, looking for boys that they think are attractive and then scaring their targets into dating them. They couldn't care less about their victims, they just do it so they can say that they did. "Oh, look at me. I went out with this one." "Don't forget me, I went out with that one." They're snarky, pathetic girls and I can't stand them.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I _am _going to see _Annie._ Do you have a problem with that?" I reply.

They roll their eyes simultaneously and start to walk away. _Have they given up? _I wonder as I go on my way towards my destination. _Hopefully._

I finally arrive at Annie's home. I walk up the steps and the door opens without me even having to knock. Annie's mother stands inside the door, looking worried and distraught. Is there something wrong?

"Oh, Finnick! Thank goodness you're here!" she exclaims, answering my mental question. "Annie is in her room. She refuses to leave. Will you talk to her? I think it might help."

"Of course," I answer. I walk up the stairs, taking my time. When we were younger, Annie and I used to race up the stairs, pushing and shoving each other into the wall, trying to slow each other down. We'd always laugh afterwards and the winner would get to throw a pillow at the loser. This was before we had to worry about Reaping Day, when all we cared about was running around and playing games.

I reach the top of the stairs and turn towards the direction of Annie's room. I can hear her pouting about something from down the hall. I walk to her door and open it. I am greeted with a pillow in my face almost immediately after I walk through the door. The pillow falls on the ground and I pick it up, starting to walk towards Annie, who is lying on her bed. She grabs another pillow and holds it out in front of her, trying to shield herself. She knows me so well. I smack the pillow out of her hand and throw mine onto the ground as well, a sign of peace.

"Good morning!" I say as happily and enthusiastically as I can. "Now get out of bed or I'll grab another pillow!"

Annie laughs and then realizes what she did. She immediately shuts her mouth and crosses her arms, clamming up. I lift her up like a sack of potatoes and carry her off her bed, out of her room, and down the stairs to the living room. All the while, she screams her head off as if she's being murder. I set her down on the couch and put my finger to my mouth, telling her to get quiet. She closes her mouth and crosses her arms again and I sigh, taking a seat next to her.

"Annie," I say gently. "Calm down. It'll be okay. Honestly. You're acting like a child."

"You're acting like a child," she mocks. At least I got her to speak to me. Annie's mother walks into the room a few seconds later, carrying a tray of fruit and bread. I'm still pretty hungry, considering my breakfast consisted of a banana. I grab an apple and a slice of bread and nibble on them.

"Ah, I see you got her out of bed," she says to me. "Thank you. Now, both of you. Eat up! You've only an hour before you-know-what."

Annie's mom has always been smart and careful with her words, especially around Annie. She knows that if she says the wrong thing, people can lose their temper very quickly. I respect her for this ability of always thinking before speaking. It's just not something I can manage.

Annie and I eat the food that was so nicely prepared for us, occasionally exchanging looks, but never speaking. When we finish, I tell her I have to go or else my mother will go ballistic. Annie nods in response, still not speaking, and very soon, I am on my way home.

When I walk through the door, my mother is waiting for me. She eyes me for a few seconds, looking angry. Then a wave of happiness washes over her, calming her, and she speaks.

"Good morning, Finnick," she says. "Reaping is in forty-five minutes, so go and shower. We want you looking nice."

I follow her directions and march upstairs. I step into the warm water after undressing. I just stand there and for a couple moments before washing my hair. I scrub myself clean and towel off, then proceeding to my bedroom. I walk in and see that something has already been laid out for me. A white dress shirt and khakis. The normal attire for boys during the Reaping.

I put it on along with a pair of brown loafers and a brown belt and walk downstairs. My mother smiles. The kind of smile that moms give their sons as if saying "You look so handsome!" that kind of smile. Her expression quickly changes to a worried look and she runs up to me.

"Finnick!" she yells. "You forgot to comb your hair! Let me fix that for you!"

I hold her by her shoulders and look her straight in the eyes. "Mom. I've got it covered," I assure her. "I know how to manage myself." I grab a comb and walk to the vanity nearby. I comb my hair back to please my mother, creating a small bump in the front. When I finish shaping the rest back, I turn to her. "Good?" I ask.

She smiles. "Perfect," she remarks. I smile. Her expression changes again and she turns to the stairs. "Trenton! Faster!" she yells to my father.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," my father says, carrying Tanner down the stairs on his shoulders. Tanner wears a miniature version of what I'm wearing, while my father wears a nice light blue dress shirt with black pants and a tie. On the tie, there is a tiny pin of a fish that his father gave to him before he passed away. The pin is pure silver and it means a lot to my father. Judging from the time when he was alive, my grandfather was very close and kind to my dad. It shows in my dad's personality.

My mother smiles again when she sees them. My mother is a beautiful woman. She has flowing brown hair and chocolate brown eyes, with almost no signs of aging. She goes swimming every day to keep herself healthy and refreshed. Both of my parents are extremely loving towards Tanner and me, and I appreciate it greatly.

My mother claps her hands twice, loudly. "Alright, time to go!" she announces. We'll be late if we don't leave now!"

My father nods in agreement and we start our walk. The District Square is just north of the Market, about ten minute walk from our house. As we walk along the bluestone streets, I notice the nervous looks on everyone's faces. The children walk stiffly with fear plastered onto their faces, and their parents following gingerly behind. Most of the Coast residents dread Reaping Day each year, as not many of the children train for the Games. The Beach denizens, however, mostly look forward to it, except for a few families, such as Annie's. Annie's parents didn't want to put her through the daily brutality of Career training.

As we pass through the Market, my father abruptly stops and stares at one of the very few stands that stays open on Reaping Day. He mutters a few words to the clerk and hands him a few macks. The clerk disappears for a few moments and returns with a bag of small oranges, handing them over to my father. We continue walking and my father takes out one for each of us. My mother gives him a look.

"Just something to hold us over," he explains. My mother nods and peels Tanner's orange quietly. We all peel and eat our oranges in silence, as we have arrived at the District Square.

The Square of District 4 is basically a petite Capitol, carved out of shiny metals and surrounded by multiple shops that sell anything from flashlights to clothing. Right in the middle of the Square is the Justice Building, where laws are established and the Peacekeeper Corps reports to work. If someone were to die, their family could visit here and receive a small sum of money to live off of. Currently, the Square is covered with banners and decorations, as the Capitol treats it as a huge festivity.

I sigh, feeling tension in my stomach and nerves all over my body. Most of the children in the crowd look the same. I scout out the area for Annie, but I can't seem to find her, seeing as District 4 is one of the most populated districts in Panem.

My mother touches the back of my shoulder and I jump, startled. I look at her and sense worry in her eyes. That little glint in the corner and the way her eyebrows and slanted downwards gives it away. She opens her to mouth to speak but I stop her.

"I'll be fine, Mom," I say. "I promise." She looks at the ground and then back at me. She nods understandingly and walks away with Tanner and my father to where the adults and younger children sit to watch the reaping. When they find their seats on the side of the Square, I turn to registration. Before starting towards it, I shake off every nerve restraining me. I have to contain myself.

I walk slowly to the check-in desk and get in line with the rest of the boys. I see that the boy in front of me is one of my classmates and friends, Lucah. I tap him lightly on the shoulder and he snaps around quickly. I jump a bit, surprised at his sudden reaction, and he notices.

"Sorry, Finnick. I'm just really on edge today," he says. Isn't everyone?

"It's alright," I offer in reply. "You're not going to be chosen, okay? Just forget about it. After today, you can go back to taking care of your sisters."

He nods and goes silent, turning back around to face the registration desk. I understand that he wants to be left alone, so I keep my mouth shut.

I close my eyes and think of Annie. If I can't see her in the crowd, might a well just imagine I can, right? Picturing our peaceful childhood memories seems to soothe me. Suddenly, I am tapped on the back by someone behind me and I calmly turn around. I don't recognize the boy, but he points in the other direction and I see that the line in front of me has vanished. I blush and step up to the desk awkwardly, holding out my index finger.

"Name?" asks the Peacekeeper in charge of registration.

"Finnick Odair," I state blankly. The Peacekeeper nods and takes hold of my finger. She pokes it with a sharp shock tool and holds it down of a sheet of something paper-like. My blood forms a fingerprint where I hold my finger. The Peacekeeper dismisses me and I walk over to stand in a group with other fourteen year olds. I am friends with most of them, but no one wants to talk today.

Including me.

I hear a voice boom across the Square as boys and girls continue to sign in. "Attention, District 4!" says the voice of whom I recognize as the mayor's. "Welcome to the Reaping of the 65th Annual Hunger Games!"

Mayor Trowsend is the most pampered man in all of District 4, getting a huge house in the Beach and countless Capitol luxuries almost whenever he wants. He's a modest man, though, and the special treatment doesn't go to his head. He's a normal man with three children. Lucah and his two sisters.

Being the mayor, Mr. Trowsend is almost always at the Justice Building for work, leaving the kids at home, by themselves. Lucah manages all of the cooking for his sisters, along with managing house cleaning and schoolwork, as their mother died a few years ago. A busy life. Lucah can manage it though. His chances for being reaped are slim, though, so he shouldn't be worrying as much as he is.

The mayor gives the normal speech for the reaping: the Treaty of Treason. After that, the inevitable happens. Our district escort.

"And now, please welcome Dakota, the escort of District 4!" says the Mayor enthusiastically as Dakota leaves her chair and waves to the audience. The crowd is roaring with nervous applause as she makes her way to the microphone.

"Thank you, Mr. Mayor," she says in her Capitol accent as Mayor Trowsend takes his seat next to the mentors and Cod. Dakota watches as the Mayor takes his seat and then turns back to the crowd, brimming with excitement. "Now then, let's begin!"

Dakota struts across the stage in her silly outfit, a puffy green wig and an azure blue dress, decked out with sequins and pointy shoulder pads. To top it all off, her face is caked with make-up and she is sporting six inch purple pumps, the heels shaped like little fish. She reaches the girls' reaping bowl and forces her hand into the pool of paper slips. After twirling her tiny hand around the bowl a few times, Dakota snags a small strip of paper walks back to the microphone. Once she reaches her spot, she gives a dazzling smile and unfolds the paper.

"Marina Overby!" she yells excitedly. _Poor girl, _I think and then realize who was just called up. Marina. From the fruit stand.

I look around, trying to spot her, and finally, I see her walk up to the stage stiffly. Her face is white as sea foam. She has her hands behind her back, no doubt clenched together in a vice grip. She must be questioning if this is real or not, but it is. Completely real.

"Give it up for your female tribute!" yells Dakota, squeezing the microphone stand. Marina smiles weakly. Dakota gives another smile and begins to start another sentence. "Any volunteers?" she asks.

Volunteers! That's right! Someone has to volunteer for marina. I start looking around, seeing if anyone will go in her place. After about a minute, no one speaks up. I sigh heavily and look back up at the stage.

"Alright, I suppose not!" says Dakota. "Now for the boys!" She walks to the boys' reaping ball and that's when I cross my fingers that neither Lucah nor I will e picked. Dakota grabs a slip and struts back to the microphone, just like before. She gives another dazzling smile, just like before, and she opens the paper carefully, just like before.

She takes a deep inhale before calling out the name and I hold my breath. "Finnick Odair!" she yells and the blood drains out of my face. No! This isn't happening. This _can't _be happening. Tanner, Annie, my parents, I can't just leave them all!

I straighten up unconsciously, with no control over my legs, and start walking towards the stage. An expressionless look cemented on my face, I walk up the stairs and over to my place on the stage. I can't hear anything other than a ringing in my head as I watch Dakota speak. I turn my eyes towards the crowd and notice my mother, pale as a ghost, covering her mouth with her hands. I keep looking around and I see Annie, crying into the palms of her hands, and I can't do anything about it.

My hearing returns as Dakota stares at me, as if expecting something. I turn to Marina and she has her hand held out in front of her. I grab it and give it a firm shake as the crowd bursts into applause.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your District 4 tributes for the 65th Annual Hunger games!" yells Dakota as I realize that there were no volunteers. Absolutely none. For either of us.

Do we even stand a chance?


End file.
